


Team Us

by Nicookami



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: EVERYONE WILL GET THE DEVELOPMENT THEY DESERVE I SWEAR, Earth AU, Family Issues, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Theres also some cussing, actually more like flatmates cuz they share an apartment, aggressive bisexuality, at least thats the plan, coffee shop au(minor), gender neutral pronouns for pidge, how much can you ref canon without it being canon, its impossible to write about keith and not make it dramatic i swear, maybe i should delete the summary and just leave the tags, no physical aggression just like, pidge is nonbinary, rivals to friends to lovers, roommates au, shiro and hunk work on a coffee shop, shiro on roller skates, some transphobia and homophobia, the garrison is a school, v slow, voltron is a game lmao, yeah - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-08
Updated: 2017-02-17
Packaged: 2018-09-23 00:19:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9631370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nicookami/pseuds/Nicookami
Summary: (previously "Gay, Goth and Emo". I loved the name but it didnt fit :( )In a turn of events he refuses to develop upon, Keith needs a new place to stay. Shiro is busy working on a coffee shop, but he knows a guy who knows a guy, and that last guy just happens to be Lance, an old rival he barely remembers having.Sometimes the real family is in the bond you have with your friends, and the many wonderful things you discover together. For that to happen, however, they must learn to count more on each other to solve their own issues. First and foremost, Pidge needs help.(what the hell this summary is so cheesy... i promise the fic is better read it pls)





	1. Brother from another mother

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! It's your local gay Nico.
> 
> This is a fic I personally like very much, I hope I can pass that love to everyone else. It's set slightly into the future, just a few years ahead.

 

    "Dad? N-no dad, please listen to me, hear me-"

     The call ended with a bleep.

     This was _bad_. Keith didn't know what to try anymore. He had a grip on his black hair, nervous, staring at the tossed out bag in front of him. He paced back and forth on the street, completely at loss. It had been two hours already, and he was getting a bit desperate. Finally, an idea sparked on his head.

     "Shiro!"

     Shiro would know what to do. He always did. Grabbing the bag carelessly, Keith strolled to the Black Lion, as quick as he could, breathing heavily.

     The Black Lion was a coffee shop not too far from there. It served the most amazing coffee drinks in town, and that wasn't because Keith was biased towards his favorite place. Okay, maybe a little bit, but they really did make good stuff there.

     From the outside, it was just a regular, but charming, corner shop. It had a few organized grass patches, and two wooden tables for the ones who appreciated more open air. What seemed like a couple sat in one of those, having chatter Keith didn't care about. When he opened the door, a small bell sounded a soft ring, warning any workers of his presence.

     Inside the cafe, the indistinguishable smell filled his nostrils. It was familiar and soothing, like a warm welcome in a moment of desperation. It calmed him down a bit, but not too much. From behind a counter, a tall man chatted with his coworkers, immediately stopping when he spotted Keith, smiling at first, wearing a more serious expression when Keith didn't reciprocate. Keith walked closer to one of the tables, yet he didn't really feel like sitting down.

     Quickly, the man from before appeared beside him. He was wearing roller skates, and Keith created a mental note to comment on those at a better time.

     "Keith?" He called, looking worried even before Keith said anything. Did he look that bad?

     "Shiro, I..." Keith looked at him, and the words got stuck on his throat.

     Shiro was like a brother to him. An older brother, always there whenever he needed. He managed to be a parental figure when Keith needed a better one, and a close sibling when they spent time together. They'd known each other for years, both barely remembering how they even met. It's like it was always that way.

     Then why, so suddenly, was it so hard to speak to him? "Um..."

     "What's going on? Do you want to go to the back? I can make you that Latte you like." Shiro held a comfortable distance, scanning Keith for any signs that would fill him in the situation. His eyes stopped at the bag on his shoulders. He didn't comment on it, and Keith gave a small, almost imperceptible nod.

 

\----

 

     "Can we really do this? I can wait until your shift is over, or-" Keith was cut short.

     "Don't worry about it, I got a coworker to cover it for me. You seem to need me now." Shiro handed him a white, warm cup Keith was very thankful for. He took a sip. "So?"

     "It's very good, as always. Thanks."

     Shiro pouted for a moment. "I wasn't talking about the coffee."

     "Oh. Of course." Keith joined his eyebrows, taking a deep breath before starting. "I... need a place to stay."

     "What?" Shiro shifted his position, paying even more attention than before. "What happened? Did you and your dad fight again?"

     "It doesn't matter right now." Keith pressed his lips, appearing pained. "I can pay for somewhere cheap. With a roommate or whatever."

     Shiro stared deeply at him, which made Keith recoil a bit into himself.

     "Stay in my place. You can sleep on the couch, and we'll get this sorted out." Shiro put a hand to his shoulder, a comforting gesture, supposedly to make him feel more at ease, but didn't help much as Keith had to refuse it.

     "Shiro, it's not like that, I-"

     "You can stay as long as you like, I know it's not big but-"

     "Shiro." 

     "What?"

     For the first time in a while, Keith met Shiro's eyes, maintaining contact between them. His expression, however, was still troubled. "I need it to be permanent."

     The taller man said nothing: His mouth was slightly open, surprised; His eyebrows were raised in disbelief; and his eyes were attentive, concerned. A few, hard seconds went on. "Is it that serious?"

     Keith nodded, staring away again. He put his coffee on a desktop, not feeling as thirsty anymore.

     "I'll see what I can do. Until we find anything though, you're staying at my apartment, and that's not open for discussion. Alright?" Shiro crossed his arms. Keith felt like chuckling at that, at how parental Shiro could be at times. He finally started to calm down again.

     "Yeah. Thanks, Shiro. You're the best." There was an awkward moment at that, he wasn't sure whether he should hug the other man or just give him a handshake. In the end, he did nothing.

 "I gotta work now. Stay around, and we'll go together when my shift ends. You know the Wi-Fi password already." He gave a pat on his back, opening the door for them both.

 Taking his stuff, Keith went to a table near the window and stayed there until the end of the afternoon, messing around with his phone while he charged the battery as well.

 

\-----

 

    Shiro searched restlessly inside his closet.

     "I know its here somewhere. I washed it yesterday!"

     "Are you sure you left it there?" Keith questioned, folding his arms. They had been at that for over 10 minutes.

     "Yeah, uh-" Shiro supported his arms on one of the shelves. "Kind of. I might not be so sure anymore."

     Keith mouthed an "I knew it" under his breath, and before Shiro could respond he started talking. "Listen, man, I can just use one of my coats as a blanket, its no big deal."

     "No, I have it _somewhere_. I just don't remember where." He scratched his head, looking around.

     "Did you even put it someplace? It might still be on the laundry room or whatever." In all honesty, Keith just wanted to sleep, didn't matter if he had a blanket or not.

     At that line, Shiro jerked his head in the smaller boy's direction, maybe scaring him a bit. Just a bit.

     "Yes! That's where it is! I completely forgot about the laundry room. I'll grab it right now." Shiro scurried over to said place, shouting back so Keith could hear. "Can you set the couch up with the sheet I gave you?"

     "Alright!"

     Keith did as told, and when Shiro came back it was... okay. Not the best guy to make beds, he figured, and Shiro sneakily fixed a few parts where the sheet was loose when the other one wasn't looking. The younger boy plopped onto the makeshift bed, glad to have all of that over with. Shiro observed him for a few minutes, before finding the right words to say.

     "So, are you gonna tell me what happened?" He sat down next to Keith, trying to look friendly instead of intimidating him into talking.

     Keith fidgeted with the pillow. "I can't right now. Sorry."

     "Don't hold it all in, alright? You know I'm here to help you." Shiro looked sympathetic, warm. Keith felt bad about letting him on the dark.

     "I know. I'll tell you, I promise, just..." He got stuck on his words again, and it was hard to talk. This was starting to get really frustrating.

     "...Just not today. I get it, it's alright."

     Shiro was a smart man. He knew how to read people, in a good way, and he knew when to back down. Keith had a lot of trouble opening up to others, and Shiro was well aware of that. Even as kids, he would get hurt, downright bleeding, but wouldn't mouth a single word about it. Oftentimes Shiro worried about the cause of that, if it was just his nature, or something else. With the passing time, he leaned more towards the latter theory.

     Keith thanked him, and they both went to sleep. He wouldn't sleep until much later, though, despite his tiredness and exhausting day. He knew he would have nightmares that night.

  

\-----------------

 

    Keith's phone buzzed, and he woke up with a jolt. Almost falling off the couch, he searched for the device, which was nowhere to be found. From the corner of his vision, he saw his jacket's pocket glowing up, and grabbed the phone then.

     "Pidge?" He was a bit disappointed at the source of the call, _especially_ at the current time. "Why are you calling so early?"

     "What? It's almost noon!" Oh. Okay. Maybe not that early. "Anyway, I need to see you. Are you home? Well, I guess you are since you were sleeping..."

     Keith got up, yawning and scratching his head. "I'm at Shiro's..."

     "Ah, okay. I'll meet you there then." Some ruffling could be hear from the other end of the line.

     "What do you wa-" And they hung up.

     This was not unusual. Pidge would discover something amazing, or be really excited about this or that, and immediately show up(most of the times uninvited) to ask Keith for help or a second opinion. Pidge was the smartest person he had ever known, and even though they were relatively new friends, knowing each other for only a year or so, they had a really good dynamic. Pidge liked to talk about stuff, and Keith enjoyed listening to it. Both were also not good with people, so they understood each other.

     Keith noticed Shiro had texted him to inform that he left for work, and that there was food for him in the kitchen. Shiro also asked if he should come for lunch.

 

_**Shiro** _

 

 

> _**(11:42) Keith:** I think ill be meeting pidge today. ill go visit you later . _
> 
>  
> 
> **_(11:42)_ Shiro: ** O.K.
> 
> **_(11:42)_ Shiro: ** i have some good news for you
> 
> **_(11:43)_ Shiro: ** i think you'll liek it
> 
> **_(11:43)_ Shiro: ** *like
> 
> **_(11:43)_ Shiro: ** :0
> 
> **_(11:43)_ Shiro: ** *:)
> 
>  
> 
> _**(11:44)  Keith:** cool. _

 

    Standing before the apartment complex, Keith waited for his friend while eating a sandwich he made minutes before. His left cheek was dirty with ketchup when Pidge came.

     "Keith!" They greeted him, stopping on their feet for a moment. "Wow, your cheek is all dirty. Gross."

     Pidge was small, way smaller than Keith. Although they were about the same age, Pidge definitely didn't look like it, and sure hated when that subject was brought up. They were clutching a big rectangular suitcase, usually fit for their laptop, near the chest. It had a cute alien sticker in it.

     Keith, a bit flustered, promptly cleaned his cheek with the back of the hand that wasn't holding the food, later then realizing he just got his glove dirty. Damnit.

     "That's what you get for trying to be cool all the time." Pidge wore a mocking grin on their face, laughing at the boy's clumsiness.

     "I'll just wash them later." With a pout on, Keith steadied himself, rubbing one hand on another to remove the crumbs, later taking the gloves off and shoving them on his pocket.

     Pidge stared at the complex behind him, shifting their focus to something else. "Why did you sleep at Shiro's, by the way?"

     "I'll tell you later" Keith said, brushing it off. "What you got there?"

     Chanting a "you'll love it!", Pidge invited themselves over to the building, knowing there was a study room there they could use. Keith considered how weird that was, since none of them actually lived there, but whatever.

     Pidge was fascinated by code and computers, settling for developing a game as of a year and a half before. For them, it was a complete breeze, having gotten used to the engine in less than a week. The game was about space travelers ─ defenders of the universe ─ that piloted mechanical lion-shaped robots to defeat the evil force of the Galra, an alien species that threatened peace and invaded multiple planets throughout thousands of years. Shiro suggested that the lions could be joined to form a much bigger machine, and everyone loved the idea. They called it "Voltron", because it sounded cool.

     The development was a bit stuck because of the graphics, which were out of Pidge's area of expertise. They had to look for someone to help, still to no avail. But that didn't mean they couldn't work on other features.

     "I developed a program to create multiple, almost infinite kinds of planets for the player to explore. Each has unique features and species, both fauna and flora. Look!" Pidge pointed at a screen, shifting between multiple weird-shaped planets inside the game. "The graphics are still a problem, though."

     Keith inspected closely, baffled at the diversity his friend managed to create, at least on the descriptions.

     "How did you even make this? It's super detailed." He widened his eyes, reading about some ice planet full of mermaids that even had a brief history and a log of resources you could find there. "Also, didn't you said you'd look for an art student at the Garrison?"

     Pidge's excited smile wore off, and Keith wondered if he said anything wrong. They cleaned their throat.

     "You know how it is. Nobody really wants to work with me." They looked upset. Keith had no idea what to do.

     "Why? You're the smartest one there, they all know it." He furrowed his brow. It made no sense. If he had the opportunity to work on a project like that with someone like Pidge, he wouldn't even blink twice before accepting it. Common sense, basically.

     "And also the one that never talks to their peers, is always stuck in a book and looks too arrogant to be approached." Scratching their neck, they continued. "And of course... the _weird_ one."

     Keith knew exactly what Pidge meant by that. For a bunch of gifted kids, they seemed too ignorant to understand anything about their identity, finding it absolutely outrageous to be neither a boy or a girl, as if it was such a big deal that changed who they were as an individual. Even if Pidge never mentioned it, Keith strongly believed they were being bullied there, most probably why they often skipped class to study alone. He had the urge to personally go there and beat down every single one of them, but Pidge insisted that was extremely reckless and stupid, and Pidge was the smart one, so Keith assumed that was right. But he never sat well with it.

     "You're lucky you dropped out." They pouted, leaning their face on their hands. "I did meet you there though, so I suppose it's not that bad."

     "I'll ask Shiro if he can help you with finding a partner, he knows a lot of people." Keith held a serious expression, to demonstrate how important it was. After a moment of silence, he remembered something else. "Did you know they're using roller skates know? That Shiro skates around to take orders?"

     Pidge snorted. "No way!"

     They both laughed around the topic for a bit, switching back to the game soon after. Pidge explained all the code-detailed stuff for Keith, and he pretended he understood it all, like always. He did understand _some_ things, but he wasn't as crazy about technology as Pidge was. They knew that, but being able to voice their process out helped to also sort it in their head and fix any mistakes on the go. Keith also mentioned briefly he was moving out, comfortable enough to explain why in a few sentences.

     Bidding goodbye after a while, Pidge left, and Keith was finally able to go visit Shiro like he promised. Today was busier though, so he waited outside until Shiro was done with the clients first. Not surprisingly by the looks of the line inside, that took over 40 minutes.

    "Keith! I'll be there in a second!" Shiro shouted from behind the counter when Keith entered the Black Lion, running to the back, supposedly to clean up. Soon after he appeared again, skating over to Keith.

     "I think I found you a roommate. Hunk tells me he knows this guy, and he seems like a good match. Looking cheap, too." Shiro had his hand on his hips, low-key proud of his achievement.

     "Hunk? Oh, that's the big guy, right?" Keith scratched his chin, trying to remember who it was.

     "Hey! He's more than that!" Shiro seemed personally offended. "Come on, I'll introduce you two, you'll love him."

     Keith had seen Hunk working with Shiro before, and also heard about him when Shiro gushed on how good he was with the food. Apparently he was a natural, however Keith was yet to taste something he made, because Shiro loved being the one to prepare Keith's coffee all the time. Keith didn't mind.

    "Keith, this is Hunk; Hunk, Keith." Shiro spoke up when all three of them met behind the counter. For the first time, Keith noticed Hunk wore some kind of fabric strip around his head, a nice detail although it apparently served no purpose.

    "Nice to finally meet you! I've heard a lot about you." Hunk relied heavily on body language to convey his feelings, and Keith found that kind of funny. "In fact, I'll go crazy if I hear Shiro talk about you one more time, I swear! Not that you're uninteresting or anything, but it's all he talks about."

     Keith gave Shiro a look, but the other one just shrugged, accepting the reality. Keith rolled his eyes.

    "Nice to meet you. Shiro said you found me a roommate?" It wasn't his intention to go so straightforwardly into the topic, however he was not one for small talk. He wanted to know what Hunk had to say.

    "Oh, yeah, yeah!" Hunk joined his hands, excited. "His name is Lance, he has this nice apartment just a few blocks away, but he hates living alone so he's looking for someone to share it with."

     Keith quietly wondered why everyone he knew had a weird name.

 

 


	2. And Who are You?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lance finally makes his debut!
> 
> As always, Cath was my beloved editor on this one. She's just so great.  
> (http://archiveofourown.org/users/Cath_loves_cake her profile wink wink)

Lance was annoying. Like, _really_ annoying.

On the day after Keith had spoke to Hunk, he decided to pay 'Lance' a visit and get to know the place. The latter decided to interview him there, and, right after lunch, he was ringing the doorbell of a small flat with a cat decoration on the door. For a moment Keith wondered if he had any pets he didn't talk about, but apparently, as he would find out, that wasn't the case.

When the door was finally open, a few seconds of silence ensued. It was definitely awkward, and left Keith in a hard position.

"Oh my god???"

In front of him there was another boy about the same age as him, with a completely shocked expression as if he just saw a ghost.

"Um..."

"Kogane? Keith Kogane? What the fuck!!" He had a strong grip on his hair, and talked very loudly. Keith backed away a bit. "THE Keith Kogane???"

What a weird start.

"Hi, um, I- are you Lance from the roommate thin-" Keith started but was unable to finish.

"You SHUT UP right there don't move a single inch!" Shutting the door right on Keith's face, the ─ crazy? ─ guy kept shouting inside, banging a lot of doors on his way as his voice faded away, apparently getting more distant. At one point Keith heard a loud _thud_ and some cursing afterwards. "Stupid wall! Go to hell!!"

"...Lance?" Keith tried to call him, receiving some weird gibberish in response.

"Hunk? HUNK! It's Keith! You sent Keith to me, what the hell?! Will you stop laughing and take me seriously!" A muffled phone conversation was going on deep withing the apartment. Keith dragged the tip of his foot aimlessly over the floor. Hunk never mentioned a crazy friend.

"So I'll just-" He shouted awkwardly at the door "-Leave? I can come back later!"

 _Or not at all_ , as he told himself.

"No! Wait there!" The sound of rushed footsteps approached Keith again. Once more, the door opened up, and the same guy appeared, but with messier hair. "C-Come in, I'll just... just wait for a bit. _What the hell, what the hell._ "

Therefore, despite all alerts in his head telling him not to, Keith stepped inside. He made sure to stay near the door.

"I can't believe this. My biggest enemy, into my household! This isn't right." Lance paced back and forth across the room, biting his nails.

"What are you talking about, exactly? Why am I such a big surprise?" Keith was getting dizzy from following the other man with his eyes. "And will you stop walking like that?!"

"Back at the Garrison! You were my rival, remember? Always so popular..." He approached Keith, coming face-to-face with him. "I was _this_ close to getting on your level. You were so scared of me you chickened out of there."

"I think you're mistaking me for someone else."

Later that day, Keith called Pidge to ask if he was really well-known back in the day, in the Garrison, getting a _Yes Keith you were_ _almost a celebrity_ and _how the hell did you not know that._ He was popular with girls and boys alike, but apparently too intimidating to be approached? Where did that even come from?

The Garrison was one of the country's top educational facilities, focused mainly on exact sciences but technical arts were welcome as well. Only those with true vocation for their abilities could get in, and almost no one ever gave up unless they were failing. If you studied there as a teenager you also had the opportunity to take classes in their university, which most people did. The Garrison was a big deal, only for the best. Looking at Lance, Keith tried to figure out how exactly it fit that boy.

"Did you come for revenge or something? 'Cuz I'm not gonna go easy on you!" Lance stepped back and forth on the living room, in a fighting stance, but got totally ignored. Instead, Keith looked around the room they were in, checking if it was any good. It had a TV, a couch, a small island and the kitchen was connected to the main area. _Good enough_ , he thought.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I don't even know who you are."

That was a lie. Keith had a vague memory of this kid that pestered him from time to time, although he never understood why, back then. However, Lance was one of the few who actually approached him in school, except for Pidge, so it was better than nothing. Enough for him to register his face, in any case.

"Listen, I just want a roommate, but if you don't like me, I'll leave." Keith huffed, frustrated. Nobody said moving out was this hard.

"No, ugh, sorry. I'll show you around. Just don't, like, spin kick me when I'm not looking."

What was that supposed to mean?

Lance finally agreed to show him the place, talking about how the Garrison dorms only let you stay for two years and now he had to "grow up", finding it ridiculous because no 17 year old could be an adult.

"I used to share a room with Hunk, but now his family is here and he can live with them." Lance sighed. "What are you up to, anyway? Why'd you need to live alone all of a sudden?"

Keith was confused. Was this the 'interview' he mentioned? Now that the tour was over, Lance started asking a lot of questions, most of them out of the regular pattern. "I thought you'd go live in your hometown or something."

"I always lived around here", Keith revealed, resting his eyes on a fascinating timer on the fridge. It seemed to be counting down to a few minutes left. What was it counting for?

"For real? Okay then." The boy looked around, wondering what his next question would be. "You have any pets? Allergies? Late night partying habits?"

"Um... No, I don't know, no." He kept staring. When the timer ended, a small beep sounded, prompting Lance to take a soda can out of the freezer. He offered some to Keith, but he refused.

"You're cool then, I guess."

Lance scratched his chin, carrying on and taking a sip.

"I'll let you off this time. It's hard to find a cheap place in this district, so I _guess_ I'll give you the pleasure of living with me. It'll be easier to compare myself to you, too." He grinned far and wide, full on himself in a way that didn't fit his persona. "Even if you're the worst. But you can't bring any girls over!"

Keith let out a puff of breath through his nose. "Don't worry about that."

Is this really how the interview was supposed to go? Wasn't it common sense to ask stuff about whether he was employed, if he was organized, if he usually had friends over, what were his habits? Lance could end up with a weirdo, an assassin, or a really bad roommate! Who was this guy?

Shiro had warned him about the importance of being careful when choosing somewhere to live _, especially_ if it was with someone else. He also knew that, if Shiro was there, he'd instantly terminate the idea, leaving and taking Keith with him. Keith felt so guilty, however, to be living off Shiro's kindness like that, it was hard to consider going back there.

And it wasn't like Lance was a bad guy, just careless and overconfident. Besides, Keith didn't totally despise the idea of a "rivalry". All in all, it seemed fun and harmless, and a good way to push himself to do more. Hunk was also a man Shiro trusted, so it couldn't be such an awful thought to want to stay there. Anywhere was better than his old home, anyhow...

So he took the offer.

 

\-------

 

"The room on the right is mine, the left one is yours. The bathroom is right down the hall. Is that all you've got?"

It was the day after, Keith had talked to Shiro and he finally let him go. All he had, really, was that same bag on his shoulder and whatever he was carrying on his pockets.

"It's the essential." Keith shrugged, not being very materialistic himself. "Thanks for, uh, letting me stay."

"You're paying. I can't complain." Lance danced over to his room. "I'm gonna take a nap now, so you can get all set and stuff. We'll talk about splitting chores later. Oh, I almost forgot!"

He then threw a small key in Keith's direction, who barely got them without dropping. They shared good-nights(its was day) and just like that, it was done. Lance was snoring in a few minutes after laying down, sleeping almost impossibly fast, and Keith decided to explore his new room.

It was bigger than he expected. There was a bed on the left corner, a medium-sized closet on the other side, plus a desk between the two. The floor was wooden, comfortably fresh when Keith took his shoes off. Of course he had seen all that before moving in, but having a personal look was different, plus he could do stuff like rummage trough the closet now. It was made exclusively of drawers, which was good because Keith never had a good relationship with hangers.

"This place is nice", he muttered to himself. It was better than his old home, albeit smaller, and his dad wouldn't be there. A plus all the way.

He looked over to Lance's bedroom. The boy slept with the door open, in the most messy position he could find. From the looks of it, it was a good nap. Inside Keith's pocket there was a particular buzz telling him Shiro was worried already.

 

**Shiro**

 

> **(14:22)** **Shiro:** keith???
> 
> **(14:22)** **Shiro:** how did it go?
> 
>  
> 
> _**(14:46)** **Keith:** I'm in my room already. Lance's sleeping. _
> 
>  
> 
> **(14:48)** **Shiro:** did you check for mold
> 
> **(14:48)** **Shiro:** and dry rot
> 
> **(14:48)** **Shiro:** check the tub
> 
> **(14:48)** **Shiro:** and for any pests
> 
> **(14:49)** **Shiro:** if it's bad you can still back up
> 
>  
> 
> **(14:49)** _**Keith:** Oh, i didn't. good tip._
> 
> **(14:49)** _**Keith:** I'll check later._
> 
>  
> 
> **(14:50)** **Shiro:** give someone a copy of the keys too, it might come in handy
> 
> **(14:51)** **Shiro:** but warn your roommate about it
> 
>  
> 
> **(14:51) _Keith:_** _Alright. anything else?_
> 
>  
> 
> **(14:52) Shiro:** Hunk asked me to tell you to tell Lance he wants to visit after work
> 
>  
> 
> **(14:52) _Keith:_** _I'll tell him._

 

He locked the screen, remembering he was relying on his data still. A soft breeze flew trough the gap in the window, ruffling his hair slightly. Was his room going to be cold? He hoped not. On the foot of his bed his bag looked back at him. Unpacking was a pain, so he got up.

Walking to the other bedroom's door frame, he stopped on his tracks. Lance was sleeping in an even weirder position, his behind higher than his head, his pillow on the floor. Using a low voice not be startling, Keith called his name.

Lance let out a long groan, raising his sleeping mask and opening just one eye to look at the source of the noise. Keith figured that meant he could go on. "Hunk will come over tonight. Shiro asked me to tell you."

"Who's Shiro?" He mumbled, visibly annoyed to have been woken up so shortly after.

"My friend." He explained. "Also, I need the Wi-Fi password."

Uttering another moan, Lance slowly sat up, scratching his butt. "Couldnt'ahav waited fo' me'tta wake up..." The words stretched on his mouth, as if he was making utmost effort to say them, joining the sounds in complete new phonemes. Keith wondered if he sounded like that when drunk. Mouthing an unapologetic sorry, Keith left for the kitchen.

 

\-----

 

"Keith." Lance had his head inside the fridge, while Keith played with his phone on the couch.

"Yes?" He replied nonchalantly, too distracted.

He stood up, still with his back to the living room, almost menacingly, and took a deep breath. "Did you eat the last piece of pizza?"

Keith hummed to himself, recalling his snack time a few moments before.

"I did. Why?" He turned his head to face Lance, unaware of his terrible sin.

"So it started already, I see!" Lance stormed away to his bedroom, banging the door behind him. "I hate you! And your mullet!"

Keith stared at himself mirrored on the television, following the trail of the waves of his hair. _Did he have a mullet?_

 

_-_ _\------_

 

Keith wished Hunk was the one in need of a roommate instead.

It started with the soft knocks on the door, and quiet whispering on the lock to check if Lance was asleep. When Keith opened up for him, he met a polite "excuse me" as he walked in, and such a positive energy the sun would be jealous of that warm smile. Hunk greeted him with a handshake, but as soon as Lance came they both hugged it out. And, wait, did he bring _food_?

"As a celebration for today's events and to apologize for not telling Lance about Keith, I brought some chocolate-filled muffins I made _and_ Star Wars XI for us to watch." He swung both bags on his hands, proud of himself but not boasting about it.

Lance took the plastic bags, excited and actually jumping on his feet. "100% forgiven! Who's the man?!"

"I'm the man!" Hunk pointed to himself, grinning, and Lance hurried to the kitchen's counter top to open the muffin box. Hunk used that time to turn his attention to Keith. "After how much Lance talked about you back in school, I'm really glad we'll be finally able to meet each other."

Lance blushed and told Hunk to shut up and not ruin his 'coolness', making Hunk laugh. Keith cocked his head.Why did everyone keep talking about him behind his back?It was in a good way, supposedly, but it was embarrassing that the others knew so much more about him than he did about them.

"Thanks. For the stuff you brought too." Hunk brushed it off as nothing, dropping onto the couch and turning the TV on. Keith sat on the other side.

"Man, the Black Lion was nuts today! So many clients, I thought I'd go crazy!" Hunk gestured, rubbing his face. He seemed to like his job, though, so Keith assumed it was okay. "What do you work with, Keith boy?"

...Right.

Keith stared at the ceiling, pretending like he wasn't there. He opened his mouth to stretch the first syllable. "I... am kind of unemployed right now."

"Wait, what?" Hunk almost screamed in disbelief, and Lance made no effort to not seem highly displeased with that answer.

"What do you mean you're moving into my apartment with no job?! How will you pay your share?!" He came rushing into the living room, muffins on a plate, a face dirty with chocolate denouncing he ate before them.

"I-it's not a big deal! I had a job just last week, I'm just searching for a new one!" Keith raised his hands in defense of himself.

"What, is dropping out of things your hobby?!"

Keith furrowed his brow. Lance didn't even ask about that before, so why was he so mad then? If anything, it was _his_ fault for being careless, and it's not like he was a hopeless vagabond anyway! And how was he so _tactless_? Nobody drops out of jobs or great schools for fun.

"It's not like that." Keith recoiled in the couch, not embarrassed or upset, but a bit frustrated.

Hunk, noticing the conflict happening there, chimed in with a different idea.

"Hey, guys, let's calm down now, okay?" Lance gave a step back, lowering his shoulders and relaxing at Hunk's request. "Keith, wasn't there a position at the Black Lion?"

"I don't want it to feel like I'm on Shiro's shadow or anything like that." He rest a hand on his palm, looking away. "Besides, Pidge is already helping me find something."

"Who's that?" Lance, still standing up, licked off the chocolate falling off the plate. "You got this habit of talking about others like we know them." Walking over to the other side, he turned to Hunk. "Hey, move over, I want the corner."

"No way man, I'm beat. Ask Keith."

And now they were fighting over seats. The bickering went on for a while, leaving it to Hunk to just pull Keith to the middle and let Lance on his beloved corner, in exchange for letting Keith hold the plate so everyone could feast. Both pouted for several minutes before forgetting what the fight was even about.

"Oh, wait! I know Pidge!"

Lance put a finger up in the air, sucking his cake-covered thumb on the go. Keith remembered he still hadn't washed his ketchup-stained gloves. Lance went on:

"Pidge's that weird kid who takes programming, right?"

Wait, what?

Hunk continued. "Oh, yeah, yeah! I remember that! A huge weirdo."

Keith's muscles went rigid, his breath stopped. He glanced over to the man, eyes wide and in disbelief.

Lance was one of them. He studied on the Garrison, and he knew Pidge, because he probably hung out with the kids who made fun of them. Or even worse ─ he was _part_ of that group. Pidge never mentioned someone like him, but what if he was an asshole too? It wouldn't be surprising. And did Hunk agree to that?

"Weirdo" was a constant between the name-calling, from what he had heard. Even though Pidge swore there was no actual bullying, they admitted their name had a bad fame, and that others talked mischievously behind their back. In the student's heads, since they didn't even make the effort to understand the meaning of "non-binary", Pidge was just a plain weirdo, a twisted kid.

He was very much ready to hit Lance square in the face right then, but he didn't stop speaking.

"Yeah, I always thought they were, like, super young, but apparently they're in my grade? Because now that the semester started, we take a class together. But I just don't understand how someone can be as passionate with programming like that."

'They'...

That was fine. Lance wasn't badmouthing Pidge, he didn't even _think_ anything bad. Keith relaxed his fists, letting out an almost inaudible sigh of relief, and smiling to himself.

"Pidge skipped a grade. They're still only a year younger, though." He lowered his back into the couch again, and Hunk took all of it as a cue to put the movie on, now that everyone was chilling.

"Really? Damn, that kid's too smart. Sometimes I think they should've been the popular one, _not someone like you_ , but then again they never talk to anyone? Always has their face on a computer..." He shook his head. "So weird."

Keith lifted a brow at that. Most of the kids at the Garrison were tech kids, and a large chunk of them loved programming. What, then, could Lance possibly do there? Unless...

"Wait, are you an art student?!" Keith beamed, staring straight into Lance, causing him to jump in reflex.

As the initial shock wore off, Lance switched to his classical narcissistic mode, a finger gun to his face.

"I'm THE art student, my friend." He flexed his muscles, whatever that had to do with art. "3D models, product projections, animations, you name it."

"Actually you're not that good with animation yet." Hunk remarked, raising a finger. Before Lance could protest, he made him smile again. "However, Lance helps me a lot with my projects, he has the creativity we engineers lack most of the time. I think he'll grade top of his modeling class this semester."

"Hunk, you're too nice." Lance winked. Truly, genuinely winked. "It's true, though."

Keith absolutely did not mind Lance boasting off that time.

"Is that for real? Can you do all that?" Lance looked back at Keith, not used to actually having his confidence boosted.

"Y-Yeah! I totally can!" Lance radiated a kind of glee that maybe even topped the one when he saw the muffins. "I'm super good at it! I can do anything!'

"Oh, careful man, his ego will explode." Hunk giggled, staring at the two of them. As long as they weren't fighting, it was fine.

Keith was already dialing a number on his phone. "Pidge is going to be _thrilled_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi


	3. Fellow Associates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~Guys, I'm having an existential crisis.~~   
>  ~~A lot of this fic was centered around Pidge being nonbinary and facing some trouble because of it (*especially* this chapter), but after going trough a few tags I'm CONVINCED Pidge is supposed to be a trans girl, and that it's kinda hurtful to treat them any other way than a girl. I'm not saying it's what the writers intended, however it fits Pidge's character... I'm seriously considering changing the fic to fit that. I'm a trans boy myself, and I believe this is a really important subject. What's your opinion on it? Please let me know...~~
> 
>  
> 
> Either way, if Pidge stays as nb that will be nothing more than an *au* where that happens.
> 
>  
> 
> **Update:** my impulsive ass did impulsive things, my bad. Ill be keeping pidge nb for now
> 
>  
> 
> Also, how do we feel about the cussing? Should it be removed?

Three days later,Sunday came with heavy rainfall, pitter-pattering on the windows of the apartment ever since early morning. Keith was covered by cozy blankets that weren't his and resting on a fluffy pillow he did not own, and he considered sleeping in. As sound as the idea was, Pidge was going to explain and depict their game to Lance in a few hours, and Keith had to act as the mediator that introduced them and accompanied their progress. Lance adored the idea of partaking in game development, and wanted to start as soon as possible.

"You have to buy some house stuff for yourself." Lance commented while washing the remnant dishes of the day before, a pesky stain refusing to wash off. "I'm serious man, you have _nothing_."

"I know." Keith had his back resting on the island that divided the kitchen and living room. "I was in a rush when I packed."

Lance had already figured Keith's situation wasn't prime, but there were many holes yet to be filled. "So it wasn't planned? You ran away?"

"It's none of your business." Keith averted his gaze, popping Lance's curiosity bubble before it could be contented.

Lance glared the boy up and down, squinting his eyes and turning the tap water off. The room went quiet. So this was how it was going to be...

"Well, pretty boy," _Pretty boy?!_ "If you're not going to speak to me you can _at least_ dry these off. That is, if you're not planning on watching me like some sick voyeur."

A wet plate was shoved in Keith's direction, who took it thrown off guard. A dish cloth landed on his face, forcing him to comply(but not without false protest), drying glasses and kitchenware in the rate Lance washed them.

They were done in a few minutes, just as Pidge arrived with a laptop and dozens of notebooks filled with ideas and annotations of varying kinds. Given the habit they had of jumping straight into details and getting lost on deep descriptions, Keith took care of filling Lance into the basic idea first.

"Man, what a cool future!" Lance admired, going trough some pages of bad world sketches and robot concepts. "And its in space! I love it."

"Right?!" Pidge glowed in pride and excitement, pointing at a colorful diagram. "I will have a nearly infinite open world, but randomly generated as you explore so it doesn't overload the system."

On one side of the island, Pidge and Lance chatted, while Keith watched and ate some cereal on the other. Maybe those two could make a good team after all.

"It's so... there's so much here." Lance sifted trough the many documents, physical and digital, staring in disbelief. "How long have you been working on this? Aren't you, like, 14?"

Pidge snarled.

"I'm 16, alright?" They grumbled. "I _have_ been working on it since I was 14, though..."

"Oh, right, Keith said you were a year younger." Lance apologized, scratching his neck and changing the subject. "So all you need is to add beauty to all of this, right?"

Pidge adjusted their glasses. "Precisely."

Lance reclined on the counter, accompanied by a smooth hand gesture. "Piece of cake, my friend."

Sitting straight, Pidge asked with a cracked voice of enthusiasm. "So you'll do it?!"

"Of course. I'm doing what I like _and_ getting part of the profit, what could be better than that?"

Pidge jumped in their seat in a cry of joy, dropping a few pieces of paper on the floor and not even bothering to pick them up. Lance faked a hero stance, but was actually really glad to help, especially someone so passionate as Pidge. Keith sighed in relief. The search was over.

"I bet you're team Lance now."Lance supposed, earning an objection from an offended Keith.

"Of course not!" In distress, Keith almost sat up but decided against it. "Pidge is team Keith!"

Pidge scowled back and forth, confused. "What?"

Keith wanted to treat it like some stupid thing Lance invented, a nonsense with no foundation that he never agreed on. But then, after mere three days living together, he was already absorbed in the quarrel. Whenever it was mentioned he had the urge to participate, to prove how much better he was at whatever they were discussing. Sometimes he won, sometimes not. But now they had teams.

"I won't encourage two dumb boys becoming dumber." They shook their head after hearing the explanation. "I'm team Pidge."

Lance revolted. "You're not even in the game! You can't do that!"

"This isn't fair! Hunk already said he was team Lance!" A bit of milk spilled from Keith's bowl when he stood up at last, jabbing a finger at the mentioned boy's direction.

"Sorry!" Pidge smiled with a tongue, not appearing sorry in the least, and Keith acted far more devastated than the situation asked for. Lance didn't, because he was still winning.

 

\---------

 

The rain had ceased. Pidge left two hours prior, and now it was almost night, the sun starting to set in the deep horizon. Keith leaned against the window frame, gazing the passing cars and holding his phone on his left ear, after dialing. In the end, all he got were futile rings, over and over until the call ended.

"What an asshole." He growled, putting the device down. The sound of footsteps approached him from the corridor, so he turned back inside.

"Keith, did you see my phones?" Lance looked around, searching under sofa pillows and cabinet drawers. When he got a glimpse of Keith, he stopped to shift his attitude. "You alright? You're not frowning and you're always frowning."

Keith was about to complain, yet when he did so he started to frown, only proving himself wrong. "Yeah. I'm fine. Your phones are over the toilet box, and I don't like the environmental storytelling that created."

"Thanks!" He scurried away to get them, not even bothering to justify himself. Lance was that kind of guy.

Under the TV desk, an array of games Keith never noticed before were neatly organized, by console and genre. Was Lance a gamer? It seemed so. Crouching to get a better look, something caught Keith's attention.

"Lance," he called, hoping he'd be heard. "I bet you can't beat me in a Smash Bros match!"

Nothing else was needed, Lance came rushing as fast as he could. The chance of competing against Keith was too good to pass, in a heartbeat he was already turning the console on.

Needless to day, way more than a single match followed that night.

 

-

 

"Hey," Keith started while hitting Lance's Lucario with one of Link's sword attacks. "you said you were in the same class as Pidge, right?"

"Yeah, why? TAKE THAT!" Lance released an energy ball that hit Keith right when he had his shield down.

Almost flying off the screen, Keith shrieked out of rage. What an ass!

"That's playing dirty!" He used his slingshot to grab Lance's Lucario, slaying him swiftly. "How does that feel?!"

"Ugh!" Lance walked away to gain more distance. "What about Pidge?"

"I think," Keith jumped over to break a box that only ended up containing food. Useful either way. "I think they're having trouble with some students."

"What, seriously?" Lance stopped to look back at (the real) Keith, not noticing when he fell from the platform and out of the screen. "NO!"

"Pffft, stupid, you just lost a life." Keith laughed, taunting with his character just to annoy Lance. "Anyway, you think you can help them a bit? They won't talk to me but I'm sure something is going on."

Lance put his controller down, having Keith do the same. "You're handing ME a chance of being a HERO? Honestly you don't even need to say it twice."

Keith inclined his head. Did Lance only ever think about himself?

"Don't worry, man. I've got you covered." Lance shot finger guns at Keith, a growing habit of his. "I'll do whatever I can."

"Thanks. Just don't make it worse!"

Whatever, it didn't matter the way Lance saw it. He was his best shot.

 

\----------------------

 

It was Wednesday, maybe Thursday. Days in school always look the same, anyway. Of course there are certain classes for each date, but who has the time to remember them, right?

What matters is it was a beautiful day outside, and Lance was trapped in the Garrison until 3pm, like usual. Hunk was sick, they had math class and the teacher was insufferable. Minutes stretched like hours, the clock was too lazy to even move its arms. Doodling in his notebook got boring, and not even the clouds dared to change shape if just to entertain him a little bit. He swore he could hear children's laughter outdoors.

The worst thing was that Lance couldn't even fool himself into thinking any of that was interesting. After counting every strand of hair in Mr. Iverson's head(none) and wondering if he could polish his head enough to turn it into a mirror(probably not), Lance decided that class just wasn't going to fuel his brain juice anymore and he took a nap. And as if every god was laughing at him at the same time, he got a detention.

The Torture Room, as he called it, was a large, almost empty space except for a few chairs and a clock on the wall closest to the door. There weren't even any teachers to accompany him, they usually waited outside and had a coffee on the way. Since that was a generally trouble-free school, that meant no other students, either. A torture room.

Lance was crafty, however.

First of all, he always had his phone stuck in his pants for situations like these, so he could text anyone he liked, and _call_ anyone he wanted.

"What a bunch of idiots." He snickered, finding a large lineup of school board phone numbers and others alike, each for a specific sector of the institution. As it turns out, the exact sciences council was just around the corner, and his current supervisor was the only one around to answer any call that could come from there. And when he naively left to do so, Lance sneaked away.

 

**Emo Roomie**

 

_**(15:12)Lance:** guess whp just avoided 1 hour of dtention_

 

**(15:14)Keith:** Did they release you already?

 

_**(15:14)Lance:** lol no_

_**(15:14)Lance:** im too smart 4 them so i just left_

 

**(15:15)Keith:** You're an idiot. you'll get caught and get worse punishment

 

_**(15:16)Lance:** shhh, u talking 2 a pro_

 

At this time, Pidge was probably in the library, working. Since he had the time and was feeling especially bored, Lance decided to go there, checking behind each hall for a passing teacher. During class he had some design ideas he'd like to present, so Pidge would be happy to see him too.

While strolling trough one of the halls though, Lance spotted a short girl he'd seen before. She had a bowl cut, wide stature and a terrible nasal voice although that wasn't really her fault. Surrounding her were a couple of other girls (one wearing sunglasses) and a boy, as far as Lance could tell, but those he did not know. The boy had a cap with a flag and the word "Brasil" on top of it. They giggled together around one of the bulletin boards.

It didn't interest Lance so he just kept walking, until he got close enough to actually listen what they were talking about, and _that_ caught his attention.

"Oh my god, guys, like, look at this." The tallest of the girls spoke up, ripping a piece of paper from the panel. "That Pidge girl is advertising something."

All gathered to see better, reading it out loud and somehow being unable to not laugh after every word. Now, Lance was a pun master and he knew very well when something was funny or not, so none of them made sense because there was no joke going on at all.

"A _game_?" The bowl-cut one snorted. "Who does she think she is? Daring even to ask for help!"

"What is it even about?"

"I bet it's about her tragic story life, where she's condemned to sit alone at lunch forever!"

"What a special snowflake, geez."

Now Lance had to cut that off, popping his head inside that circle of jerks.

"Ahem." He cleared his throat, surprising all of the others who barely noticed his presence before. "I hate to interrupt, but you people are full of shit."

Bowl-cut girl turned angrily at him. "Who the hell are you? Scram!"

Striking a gallant posture, Lance ran a hand trough his hair and somehow managed to earn a gasp from the boy that was in there.

"I beg your pardon, my fair lady, but it is about my friend you're talking about." He flashed a bright smile, causing many puzzled looks. "The name's Lance, the man who pierces his love into young women's hearts, and is also very handsome."

"Never heard of it." She lifted her brows. "And that's a bunch o' crap, no one is friends with her."

Lance hummed in disagreement.

"Not 'her', _them_. It's an actual pronoun, you know." He opposed, resting his hands on his hips. "Listen, Pidge is a great kid, alright? I'm sure if you gave them a chance it would be far better than you think."

"How? She hates everyone." The other girl, who hadn't spoke up yet, used a sarcastic tone. "She is super rude to all of us. And yet asks for help from the other students."

"Well then that's all your fault, isn't it?" Lance shrugged. "The way you talk about them... Just a fair reaction, the way I see it."

The group discussed among themselves, outraged by Lance but also very confused. He hoped he was doing the right thing, discreetly wiping some sweat from his forehead. All Lance could remember were Keith's words echoing on his head: _Just don't make it worse_ _._ His heart almost stopped when all turned back at him again.

"You should leave." Sunglasses stood rigidly, taking the word for the group. "If you just came to, like, insult us then you're not welcome."

"I don't care what you think of _me._ But Pidge has been working hard everyday! Did you know they even skipped a grade?!" Lance pointed fingers at them, mad. When they acted shocked, he continued. "You'd know it if you actually took the time to get to know Pidge instead of showing them they're right to push people away. Now I'll go stay with Pidge, _an actual good person_ , instead of wasting my time here."

Lance shrugged, turning away and smiling to himself. At a fair distance, he heard the shouts of Mr. Iverson calling for him, so he texted Pidge to meet him at his apartment and ran away as soon as he was out of sight. All of the other kids shook their head, except for one.

 

\-----------

 

Pidge had gathered all their stuff. They were about to leave the school, shutting their locker after storing away all textbooks they wouldn't need. When shutting it, however, Pidge almost had a heart attack.

"Pidge?"

Pidge had seen that boy before. He walked along with a group of kids that harassed them sometimes, calling them names and disrespecting them in any way they could. She took a step backwards.

"What do you want?" They said in a low voice and defensive attitude. The boy stripped his cap, fidgeting with it while looking down.

"My name is G-Gabriel. I c-came here to, to apologize." He had a thick accent, a bit hard to understand especially with his speech issues. He continued. "On behalf of my friends. And my sis-sister."

"Right..." They stared him up and down, holding their laptop closer to their chest.

"I came from Brazil in an exchange p-program. Amanda is my sister from my new family. I hang out with her but I dont think what she says about you is fair."

Judging by the body language and what he said, it appeared he was speaking the truth. Something didn't sit well with Pidge, however.

"Then why you never spoke up? Stopped them?"

"I'm too shy and I don't wanna l-lose my friends..." His cheeks flushed bright red, ashamed. "B-But your friend was very inspiring!"

Pidge lowered their hands. "My friend?"

"Yeah! He talked some, some sense into us and I know the others took it to heart even though they don't show it. S-Spear was his name? No..." He lifted a finger to his mouth, thinking. "Anyway, I'd really like to see your g-game? If you can?"

"Lance..." Pidge stared at their phone, where Lance had sent a message moments before. Gabriel nodded at the name. They needed to thank Lance later. "Alright. I'll show you."

 

\----------------------------------------------------

 

**Pidgey**

> **(00:0** **2** **)** **Pidge:** thanks Spear
> 
>  
> 
> _**(00:0** **3** **)** **Lance** **:**????_
> 
> _**(00:0** **3** **)** **Lance** **:** is this some kinky shit_
> 
> _**(00:0** **4** **)** **Lance** **:** or are you making fun of me_

 

 

**Pidge the Hacker/Nerd**

 

> **(00:05)** **Pidge:** Keith?
> 
> **(00:05)** **Pidge:** i just wanted you to know
> 
> **(00:06)** **Pidge:** im team lance now
> 
>  
> 
> _**(00:06)** **Keith:** what???]_
> 
> _**(00:06)** **Keith:** pidge_
> 
> _**(00:06)** **Keith:** pidge???_
> 
> _**(00:07)** **Keith:** come back online anf explain thisd!_
> 
> _**(00:0** **7** **)** **Keith:** *and *this_
> 
> _**(00:08)** **Keith:** piiiiiiidge_

 

**Lance**

 

> _**(00:08)** **Keith:** what the fUCK DID YOU DO_
> 
> _**(00:08)** **Keith:** PIDGE TEXTED ME SAYING THEYRE TEAM LANCE?????/_
> 
> _**(00:0** **9** **)** **Keith:** STOP LAUGHING I CAN HEAR YOU FROM MY ROOM_
> 
>  
> 
> _**(00:**_ _ **10**_ _ **)**_ _ **Lance**_ _ **:**_ #teamSpear
> 
>  
> 
> _**(00:**_ _ **11**_ _ **)**_ _ **Keith:**_ _????_
> 
> _**(00:** _ _**11** _ _**)** _ _**Keith:** _ _THAT ANSWERS NOTHING_
> 
> _**(00:** **12** **)** **K** **eith:** EXPLAIN YOURSELF RIGHT NOW_
> 
>  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chap 4 will be the bomb, just sayin'
> 
> btw i changed the name


	4. Burping rabbits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! Here it is.

"I don't know, Shiro... Is this really alright?"

Keith stared at himself on the mirror. He was wearing a long-sleeved white shirt, a blue, striped necktie attached to the collar. His shirt was tucked in black social pants, and Shiro held a pair of shoes on his hands from behind Keith. That look was _nothing_ like him. He couldn't even wear his gloves...

"Don't worry. It's just an interview. You've worn this before, remember?"

Shiro tried to reassure him, but Keith wasn't buying it. He touched his neatly arranged hair, missing the usual fluffiness.

"I think I'm shooting for something bigger than I'm qualified for." He sat down on the bed. They were in Keith's room, a few minutes away from when he'd have to leave to try for a job position Pidge found for him the day before.

Shiro sat next to him. "No you're not. You coursed advanced biology and got introduced to procedural veterinary medicine in a top notch school, didn't you? This is just an assistant's job. You'll do great."

Keith covered his face with his arms, clutching his legs. "I also didn't _complete_ it, in case you don't remember."

Shiro sighed, patting Keith's back and then getting up. "Why don't you just try first? The worst that can happen is you won't get the job. Come on, it's almost time to go."

Obliging, Keith followed Shiro to the living room, putting on the shoes. Lance was reading a self-care magazine on the couch, secretly paying attention to everything.

 "W-What am I supposed to say? He'll ask all sorts of questions I might not know how to reply..." Keith rubbed his neck, not wanting to leave just yet.

"Be honest, and confident. Remember the answers we rehearsed before and you'll do great."

Keith took a deep breath, nodding. Suddenly, Lance knelt on the couch, putting the magazine down and staring at both of them.

"Oh, oh! Eye contact! Don't forget to look straight into the man's eyes!" Lance locked his vision with Keith, for emphasis. "Or woman. If she's hot, just flirt with her and-"

"Do _not_ flirt with anyone." Shiro brought a palm to his face. Keith could have chosen a better roommate. "But he's right about the other part. You have to show you're convinced of your abilities."

_"_ This too!" Lance spoke, and before Keith could know what he meant, a mint candy was thrown at his face. "To alleviate stress. And smell good. Eat it before going in!"

Keith took a glance at the clock on the wall, almost screaming when he saw the time.

"I have to go!" He opened the front door, rushing outside before anyone could answer. Shiro stood with the mouth open,taking car keys from his pocket. "I was going to take him there..."

Lance huffed, jumping from the cushion and shoving Shiro out the apartment. "Don't let him get late!"

The place was an ordinary pet shop. It answered by the name of "Ruffs, Meows, Paws and Pals", with lots of colorful designs of pets on the external walls. Trough a glass panel you could see a dog taking a bath, occasionally shaking itself and wetting a frustrated staff. Piles of animal food greeted them at the entrance, all neatly organized. Shiro had his eye on an isle full of rabbits up for adoption.

Keith walked up to a man swiping the floor, trying not to stutter. And failing. "E-Excuse me? Do you know where I go for an interview I have here?"

"Oh yes! Doctor Marble said she'd be interviewing a young man today. Just sit there, she should come looking for you soon." The man pointed to a row of chairs at the end of the store, close to a door that read 'authorized personnel only'.

"I'll wait with you." Shiro announced as they followed the staff's directions. Keith silently thanked him, clutching on his tie.

Keith could count his heartbeats, if he wanted to. If he bit his lip anymore than that it would bleed. He really wanted to work there. Keith rarely disclosed his love for animals, but the idea of working alongside them had always made him happy. His last job, a cashier on a supermarket, really didn't spark him any interest. But he wanted this.

Out of the door came a woman on a white coat. She was probably on her early fifties or late fourties, light brown hair tied on a ponytail and brown skin. Her smile when she called for Keith was friendly and accepting, the kind that makes you instantly trust the person and feel better. Sitting up, he shook her hand tightly like Shiro had taught him.

"Shall we go to my office so we can talk better?" She joined hands, a bit of her sleeve falling behind on her arm. Keith noticed a few patches of white forming on her wrist, however it was rude to stare so he didn't. Shiro whispered good luck as they got in trough a different door.

The room smelt like alcohol-based hand sanitizer and disinfectant. As Keith would soon find out, it was also where patients were brought in with their pets, so it made sense. The doctor prompted him to seat down, and the chair was surprisingly comfortable. On top of the desk, multiple dog and cat decorations were laid out in an almost messy way. A porcelain dog was holding a "welcome" sign on his mouth.

"Patients gift us all sorts of great things all the time. I got that one last year, after one dog called Jumbo successfully got treated from his heart disease. The owner insisted on thanking me however she could." She sat down in front of Keith, a longing stare on her eyes when she talked about the decoration. "Do you like animals, Keith Kogane? Would you prefer to be called by first or last name?"

"Yes I do, ma'am. And first name, if possible."

Not once did Keith break eye contact.

 

\----------

 

"How was it? How did it go?!"

Keith released a long breath, throwing himself on the couch and taking off his tie, as Lance accompanied his hand movements with the corner of his eye, from the island. After dropping Keith off, Shiro went back home at Keith's promise they would talk later.

"I don't know yet. They'll call later." He stared at the lamp on the ceiling, shedding a butter-colored light on the room. "I think I have a good chance."

"Good! That's great." Lance shot his hands to the air. "I bet my tips were crucial."

"They were." He chuckled. Although tired, Keith's good mood let him humor Lance. "But I didn't flirt."

"Would've taken you straight to the top, I tell you." Lance stretched, yawning too. "If I order a pizza can we share the bill?"

Keith reached for his wallet, counting how much money he had. "I think so. Oh but you can't use the phone! They'll call from it."

Lance waved his iPhone 10, smug look on his face. Keith rolled his eyes. How did he even afford one of those?

"To be honest though, if I didn't know you before I'd never have guessed you were into biology and that stuff." He typed into a food app. "Pepperoni or cheese?"

"Both. Half-and-half." Lance nodded, typing some more. "Yeah, I don't talk about it much, but I lived in a farm when I was a kid."

Lance widened his eyes. Oh, what was that? He made a point to readily go to sit next to Keith. He had the biggest smirk ever.

"Oh my god. Do you talk chicken?"

Keith pushed him aside, playfully irritated. Lance pushed back while making chicken noises, so Keith changed seats to be farther from him.

"Alright, no chicken language. Were there even chickens there?"Lance frowned.

"Of course. Chicken, a few sheep and a horse. It wasn't very big, but nice."

Lance watched as Keith smiled to himself. He had a fond expression, somehow mixed with a kind of... melancholy he couldn't pinpoint.

"Why did you leave?"

Keith didn't answer for a while. He opened and closed his mouth several times, struggling to explain it properly. They just sat there, one or two feet apart from each other, and Lance waited patiently until Keith could feel comfortable enough to talk.

It was carved in his mind as strongly as his mother's perfume when her warm skin leaned against his. Like the scorching but familiar sun that greeted him every day, like the dripping sweat leaving his pores whenever he stayed outside for too long. He remembered his mother's cooking, and how even if it wasn't the best it was _hers._ He remembered holding her hand when he had a nightmare, and how she taught him that every life was precious and how we were all made of the same cosmic dust. It was like watching an old, sepia-toned movie playing in his head.

And then, one day...

Cold. Cold. Cold.

It was so cold. The harsh wind threatened to take him away, cutting trough his soaked clothes and making him shiver more with each passing second. His small hands gripped on the wet soil the same way he was gripping to his mother's dress, unchanging. Salty tears fell from his eyes, nose running nonstop ever since he fell down. He barely had the energy to cough anymore.

He felt his body being turned sideways, someone put a hand to his chest and breathed in relief. Their hand was gelid, even more than he was. Keith's eyes were so dirty and full of sand it was hard to open them, like in a cruel dream you can't understand no matter how hard you try. Gravity started feeling heavier as he got picked up and carried away between tripping feet and mumbling conversations. They probably thought Keith was resting, but he always had light sleep.

_"The kid is alive..."_

_"Where's his mother...?"_

_"I can't find her..."_

_"I think they were inside the pickup truck, honey..."_

_"Oh my Lord... so she probably..."_

_"...Passed away_." He whispered, barely audible. Coughing, Keith tried again, but this time louder. "My mother passed away. I came to live with my father here then."

Lance was resting his elbow on the back of the couch, attentive, thoughtful, and Keith suddenly felt a rush of fear taking him over. Keith's chest fell heavy, throat almost instantly going dry as he saw the way Lance looked at him. Why was he opening up like that? He could feel his heartbeat go a little faster. Was this too much? He opened his mouth to apologize. He shouldn't-

"How old were you?"

Keith stopped his voice midway. Lance still had the same expression, so _damn hard_ to read. "Six... No, seven."

Lance sounded a short hum. "That's terrible. Do you want to talk about it?"

Keith shook his head no, gripping tightly on his pants. He bit his lip at how much he looked like a small child.

"Are you sure?" Lance didn't move. Was he freaked out or was he being respectable? Keith didn't know. He didn't know if he was more afraid of Lance being uncomfortable or if Keith just wanted to run away from that situation himself. He had to breathe deeply to calm down. "Keith?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry, it's..." Keith forced a sad smile Lance reciprocated, nodding lightly. "A hard topic. Maybe another time."

"Okay. Another time."

Lance searched for the remote between the cushions, finding it near Keith. He turned the TV on to set a better mood, stopping on a cartoon about space rocks that lived on Earth. It had funny jokes Lance approved so he let it there, glancing over at Keith from time to time to check up on him.

Lance always tried his best to deal with people. Growing up on a big family, it's the kind of ability you need to have and usually giving the person space was the best course of action to take. If they wanted to speak, they would, and in their own terms, which included their own time.

It took a while, but Keith eased himself into a more relaxed position, straying from his tense state. His hands were more loose now, one resting on the cushion and the other on the couch's arm. When Keith laughed at a very angry rock on the TV, Lance took it as a hint to go on with his shenanigans.

"Soooo..."

Lance started, and Keith sighed in frustration. Was he going to insist on the subject again? Did Lance know how to take a hint _at all_?

"You were into some really naughty _chicks_ , weren't you-"

Of course.

"OH FOR FU-"

The telephone rang, the world stopping around them. Keith's heart suddenly seemed to clench inside his chest, it was too soon. He wasn't ready. He and Lance shared a glance.

"That was fast! Are you _sure_ you didn't flirt with her?"

Keith growled. "No!"

Lance brought a finger to his chin, staring Keith up and down and humming. "Well, now that I see it, your pants really are a bit more pulled down than when you left..."

"Shut up!" Keith complained with a blush, earning a chuckle from Lance.

"You better pick it up, no?"

Keith's head jolted over to the source of the ring. Trembling, Keith dashed away to the small object, nearly knocking himself down over Lance on his way.

Keith gulped, reaching for the handset with both shaky hands. "Hello?"

_"Good evening, I would like to speak to Keith Kogane."_

"It's him."

_"My name is Melissa, from Ruffs Meows Paws and Pals. Doctor Marble has requested me to call you on behalf of her."_

Not speaking to him personally? Did that mean he really didn't make it? Was that normal or not?He probably didn't pass the interview. He would find have to find something else ─ it was all about seeking something less, somewhere else. As long as he could pay his share of the rent, he couldn't compla-

"What's going on? What are they saying?!" Lance accompanied it enthusiastically, earning a shush from an angry Keith.

_"She is currently taking care of a patient. I have good news, however!"_

Good news. They had good news. Blocking the speaker with his hands, he turned to Lance. "They said it's a good call!"

Lance returned two thumbs up, standing on the couch and almost toppling over. Now bearing a pleased face, Keith brought his mouth to the speaker again, almost forgetting to reply. "Yes, please go on."

"She would like you to know she was very pleased with you today, and is offering you a position as her assistant."

Hold it right there.

It couldn't be. This was _crazy_. Keith felt like crying from joy, he felt like jumping around and showing the world that _no, he wouldn't need to be a cashier again_ , he maybe even felt like hugging Lance, since there was nobody else in the room. His heart fluttered inside him, happy as well.

But not all were roses. As some sick bodily response, he completely froze on his place. His throat closed shut, he couldn't speak. His lips were hung open. Did he even hear it right?

_"Mr. Kogane? Are you there? I need a confirmation."_

He shook his head. "I am here. Sorry. I- I really appreciate it. Thank you."

_"It's alright! Will you be able to start on Monday?"_

Meanwhile, Lance watched in excitement, restlessly prompting for an update.

"What's going on? Don't leave me on the dark here, man!" Lance held tightly to the sofa's back, for support, desperate for a response. "I hate suspense!"

"Yes, yes. Thank you very much. I will. Thanks." Keith said before finally putting the phone down. His gaze traveled back to Lance.

"So?!"

Keith smiled proudly, with a hand on his hip. "I'm paying for the pizza."

 

\-----------

 

Lance released a burp. Not any burp ─ the kind that could open heavy stone doors, make mighty dragons shut up and kill the best warrior. It was _the_ burp, only achievable after 3 glasses of coke and 4 slices of pizza, on a row, rarely performed even by the best professionals out there. Keith stared in horror.

"What are you?!" Keith protected himself from the terrible smell, waving Lance's breath away with a pillow.

"Your worst nightmare." Lance tried to articulate a deep voice, failing miserably, cackling and then snorting to himself. "Come on, now, you're a big boy. You can do it too."

Keith put the pillow down, defeated. "No, I can't! Not voluntarily, anyway."

"Of course you can." Lance burped again, lighter and shorter, just to give an example. "See?"

Shaking his head, Keith yawned. It was past 1 am. "I wasn't born with that ability."

For some reason, the TV exhibited a sales channel now. A very loud woman introduced a product called FitFit 3.0, something related to losing weight. Keith couldn't bring himself to understand what it was, though. It was set on a low volume, but since that and their voices were all the sound present, it appeared to take over when they didn't speak. The darkness of the room covered them like a blanket, a single source of light coming from the TV itself. The pizza box on the background was empty, the sign of a good night.

"You're just scared of exploring this noble art." Lance yawned as well, in reflex. "But I'll let you off this time because you got a great job and bought us pizza."

Keith huffed. "What do you even work with, anyway?"

"It's a secret, but I'll tell you." Lance put a hand to his chest, closing his eyes. "I'm a spy."

"What? No. What?" Keith muttered in a quiet snort, glancing over at Lance with an eyebrow raised.

"I am, I swear!" Lance raised a finger, as serious as ever. "I have to gather info for the government in top secret missions!"

"Gather info? What kind?" Keith straightened himself, a hint of curiosity on his voice.

"Everything they need. However..." Lance leaned in to whisper in Keith's ear. "I shouldn't have disclosed my job, so now they'll come after me."

Keith stared in wide eyes, but when Lance let out a snort he frowned deeply. Misled, fooled!

"You're... not a fucking spy, Lance." Keith turned away and leaned further into the couch, the sleepiness getting to his tone, almost touchable.

"Oh, but I got you there for a second." Lance grinned, before yawning lazily.

Keith could barely make out Lance's eyes in the dark, and of course his almost-blurry vision didn't help. His eyes were almost closing themselves, but Keith knew Lance was like that as well. There was a blanket on the floor Keith had forgotten about, now finding a new place warming up the boy.

"Tell me the truth. Is it embarrassing? I bet you're a Go-go boy..." Keith smiled evilly, gauging for a reaction that could pay back for the earlier embarrassment.

Lance flushed pink, gesturing fiercely with his hands. "What?! I'm a super cool spy, okay?! NOT a go-go boy!"

Keith let out a weak chuckle, the filler noise of the TV taking over the room. Lance had a realization. If he was red before, now he flat-out became a tomato.

"Wait, you think I could be a go-go boy?!"

Giving him a pointed stare first, Keith eased his head on the couch's arm, just to rest his eyes. "Don't be so full of yourself."

Lance showed him a tongue.

Lance didn't like to admit how much the need of sleep was affecting him. If they kept at that for a while, he would certainly wake up with indecent scribbles drawn on his forehead. Would Keith do that? All Lance knew was that _he_ would, whenever Keith decided to give in.

It didn't take long. Lance looked to his side, following with his gaze the ups and downs Keith's chest made when he breathed. His hair was now a mess, and his eyes were squinted up just a bit because of the light that fell over part of his face. Keith was also a fast sleeper, from what Lance could tell, his even breaths signaling that.

"I knew you couldn't stay awake longer than me." He counted an extra point for team Lance in his head. Keith probably wouldn't agree to it, but Keith wasn't in conditions to tell Lance otherwise. Now if he could just find a sharpie...

There was a marker on top of a desk that was probably miles away, too far for Lance to consider taking it. He pouted, promising himself he'd doodle on Keith later.

"You're such a loser." Lance entertained himself with the earlier thought. "Can't believe I admired you in the Garrison."

Lance wasn't paying attention when Keith opened an eye at that. "You admired me? That's so gay."

Lance let out a shriek. "You faked being asleep! Not fair!"

"I never said I was-"

"YOU are the gay one!" Lance huffed in discontentment, scandalized to have such an embarrassing sentence be heard by the likes of Keith.

Keith opened both of his eyes wide, staring back in shock. When the sales channel went on a break, it was as if the TV itself had stopped its noise just to complement to the silence in the room. If Keith was any more observant rather than shaken, he would have seen that Lance didn't mean what he said, and that he was now grumpily crossing arms, sunken on a pillow.

"Did..." Keith mouthed with a hoarse voice. Afraid. Cautious. He got up with one arm, shaking all sleep away. "Did Pidge tell you?"

Keith didn't know logic, not at times like these. All he could think were the bad stuff, the improbable but worse stuff. He believed people meant what they said most of the time.

Lance stared back at him, not expecting anything else than a comeback joke. Keith was dead serious _._

"What?"

And everything stopped.

 

**Author's Note:**

> How am I doing? This writing thing is pretty foreign to me still...
> 
> By the way, my friend Cath, who is my beta-reader, makes this fic a whole lot less boring and okay, I owe a lot to her. Show her some love? http://archiveofourown.org/users/Cath_loves_cake


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